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http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/14/i-novae-explains-infinity-battlescape-kickstarter-rationale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/14/i-novae-explains-infinity-battlescape-kickstarter-rationale/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Last month I-Novae Studios posted an update that summarized 2012 and laid out future development plans for its long-running Infinity project. Among those plans were a focus on a multiplayer combat version of the original sandbox concept called Infinity: Battlescape. This caused a bit of an uproar in the game's community due to a desire to see the devs move forward with the larger sandbox instead of what some fans see as a combat prototype.

This week I-Novae's Keith Newton published another post to make the case for Battlescape and illustrate why it's important for the larger project. He draws several comparisons to EVE Online and says that "we would have to have one of the most successful campaigns in the history of Kickstarter for us to be able to build a minimally viable Infinity."

Newton points out that CCP raised $2.6 million in the year 2000 for initial EVE development, which equals about $3.4 million today. Infinity is "a bit more ambitious than EVE was at that time," Newton explains, which means that I-Novae would require more than $3.4 million to make it a reality. Infinity: Battlescape is the best compromise, he says, and the team is optimistic that such a first step will provide the needed foundation "to properly pursue a project as large and ambitious as Infinity."

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crowdfundingeveeve-onlinei-novaei-novae-studiosinfinityinfinity-battlescapekeith-newtonkickstartersandboxsci-fiThu, 14 Mar 2013 11:30:00 -0400319|20502101http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/hell-yeah-an-infinity-update/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Being a fan of Infinity is an exercise in delayed gratification. The sci-fi sandbox MMO has been in development for-seemingly-ever, but given its nerdgasm-inducing feature set (which includes seamless transitions from space to planetary flight and huge, procedurally-generated heavenly bodies in a physics-based universe), the wait will likely be worth it.

Today is a great day for fans, though, because developer Keith Newton has published a new update on the game's website for the first time in six months. Newton states that his team is getting "ready to increase our communication significantly," and he also says that he is leaving his regular job to focus full time on I-Novae Studios and Infinity early in 2013.

Finally, there's a Kickstarter project in Infinity's near future, and Newton also fills us in on various technical details including terrain engine updates and something called pre-computed atmospheric scattering. If you're unfamiliar with Infinity, check out the pre-alpha tech demo videos embedded after the break.

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i-novaei-novae-studiosinfinityinfinity-tech-demoinfinity-the-quest-for-earthkeith-newtonsandboxsci-fivideoyayFri, 16 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500319|20381952http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/some-assembly-required-four-sandboxes-we-need-right-now/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/some-assembly-required-four-sandboxes-we-need-right-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/some-assembly-required-four-sandboxes-we-need-right-now/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Hello folks, and welcome back to Some Assembly Required. I've been thinking about sandboxes quite a lot lately, and while this is nothing new, a couple of those I've been thinking about are flying pretty far under the radar.

As much as I've been enjoying The Secret World in recent weeks, it can't quite scratch that open world, free-roaming, full-blown economy experience that I've been missing since the days of Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online. There are a couple of titles in the pipeline that may recapture those experiences, though. Join me after the break and see whether you agree.